Refrigerator cabinet construction



T. W. RUNDELL BEFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 26, 1944Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR CABINETCONSTRUCTION Application February 26, 1944, Serial No. 524,053

2 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates to refrigerator cabinet construction andparticularly to the construction and mounting of thermo-break meansemployed to close the space intervening between the outer shell andinner lining members at the door opening side of such a cabinet. Morespecifically, the invention pertains to a breakerstrip assembly of thetype providing co-planar surfaces at the front of the cabinet around thedoor opening.

Heretofore, in order toprevent transfer of heat from the outer shell tothe inner lining member of the cabinet and ,to provide co-planarsurfaces at the door opening, it has been customary to mount a pluralityof individual fiat breaker strips,

that is one-strip at each of the top, bottom and opposite side.portions'olv thedoor opening.` The use of such individual strips makesit `necessary to employ spring elements for frictionally retaining thestrips against vibration and displacement, and necessitatesalsothe useof so-called corner clips extending between the outer shell and innerlining member of the cabinet toseal the gap between the adjoining endsof the breaker strips.

Since the corner-'clips are usually made of metal, they afford a heatleakage path which defeats complete prevention of heat conductionbetween the cabinet'outer shell and inner lining member.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide aconstruction whereina unitary breaker strip member may be easily and quickly mounted on thecabinet and be retained securely in place thereon without the use ofspring elements and corner clips, said member being capable ofeffectively Isealing the spaceand precluding thermal conduction betweenthe outer shell and the inner liner-'around the door opening.

. It is another object ofthe invention to provide a novel assemblywherein a unitary breaker strip cooperates with cabinet structural partsto facilitate the mounting of the breaker strip member and reduce to aminimum the number of elements required to secure said member inposition, thereby hastening production and effecting a saving inmanufacturing cost.

Stil1 another object of the invention is to provide a unitary breakerstrip member constructed to blend with adjoining portions of the cabinetframe, thereby providing a substantially smooth continuous surface whichnot only enhances the appearance of the cabinet but further eliminatescondensate-catching pockets with the result that rust and paintbreakdown are prevented without the use or application of sealingcompounds.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description andaccompanying drawing in which: Y

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view of a disassembled breaker-strip member-and associated cabinet framework constructed in accordance with thisinvention and illustratingthe mode of assembly;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view siir1, ilar'togli'ig.l 1 and showing thebreaker member inpositionfon the means of corner braces 8. As shown at6a, the

liner 8 has an open side affording access to the compartment 6.

The outer shell I is fabricated, preferably, of sheet metal and has agenerally inverted U- shaped configuration. The bottom edge portions ofthe shell 'I are bent inwardly at right angles to the sides of saidshell thus providing flanges 9 and I0 respectively cooperating withfront and rear cross-pieces II and I 2 to form the cabinet base.

The forward edge portion of the shell 1 is reversely bent at rightangles so as to form a facing ange I3 and a ange I4 disposed rearwardlyof the flange I3, said flanges cooperating to provide a continuouschannel I5 of generally U-shaped cross-sectional formation extendingabout the top and sides of said open side of the foodqstoragecompartment 6 and terminating at the bottom of the cabinet in open endsas shown at l5a.

'Ihe liner 8 is also bent at right angles outwardly from the open sideBa of the food storage compartment S to form about said open side, a

e flange I6 extending toward the channel I5 of the cabinet. The pan I'Iis arranged in spaced rela-y tion to the bottom wall of the inner liner8 and has its rear edge portion bent downwardly to form a back wall I8for the lower and minor section of the cabinet, said wall having awindow I9 providing access into said lower section for the Purpose ofinstalling and servicing the usual motor-compressor unit (not shown). Anangular generally L-shaped metallic strip 20 is secured to the frontedge portion of the pan I1 preferably by means of spot welding, asindicated at 2I in Fig. 4.

The space between the adjacent portions of the inner liner 8 and theouter shell 1 and between said liner and the bottom pan I1, is filledwith suitable insulating material 22 as is customary in the art.

In order to close the gap between the forward edges of the outer shell 1and the inner liner 8 and to conceal and retain the insulating materialtherebetween, and in accordance with this invention, a unitary breakerstrip member 24 is provided, preferably of a non-metallic andnonhygroscopic thermal-insulating material or a material havingrelatively poor heat conductive properties. The breaker strip member 24has a substantially rectangular frame-like configuration comprisingcontinuous top, bottom and opposite side portions respectivelydesignated by the reference characters 25, 26, 21 and 28. The outer edgeportions 29 of the opposite sides 21 and 28 of said member 24 areadapted, a'sindicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, to be entered into theopen ends Ia of the channel I5 and advanced therein until the breakerstrip member 24 as a whole reaches its operative position on thecabinet, as shown in Fig. 2.

In this position, edge portion 29 forming the outer margin of theopposite sides 21 and 28, and the edge portion 30 forming the outermargin of the top 25 of the breaker strip member 24 are adapted to fitinto the channel I5 formed in the outer shell 1 of the cabinet and, asshown in Fig. 3, said edge portions are depressed from the plane of theouter face of the said member 24, so that the said face will lie flushwith and extend contiguously to the outer face of the flange I3 of theshell 1. The depressed edge portions 29 and 3D provide a surface 3I for'snug engagement with the inner face of the flange I3 aforesaid and formaintaining said engagement the said edge portions 29 and 30 areterminated in angular sections 32 which, as shown in Fig. 4, reactagainst the flange I4. With this construction, a positive f rictionalaction is obtained between the breaker strip member 24 and U-shapedchannel I5 to securely hold the breaker strip member in the desiredposition against the flange I3 and to restrain the member againstvibration and accidental displacement.

The continuous inner edge portion 33 forming the inner margin of thebreaker strip member 24 is adapted to be secured to the flange I6 of theinner liner 8 by means of suitable snap fasteners 34 engageable withsaid flange through conveniently located openings 35, and said fasteners34 may be secured at the inner edge portion 33 of the breaker stripmember 24 by means of -a clip member 38. The fasteners 34 and clipmember 38 may be and preferably are of the type disclosed and claimed inapplicants prior Patent No. 2,313,- 671 issued March 9, 1943.

`As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4,.the fasteners 34 'to providing ableapertures 4I spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacingbetween the openings 36 in the flange I6 of the inner liner 8. and theshank portions 31 of the fasteners 34 project through said apertures 4I, with the head portions 36 of the fasteners disposed between the legportion 40 of the clip member and the breaker strip member 24, thelatter being grooved or recessed, as indicated at 42, to receive saidhead portions 36, as shown in said Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. Inaddition a means for securing the fasteners 34 to the breaker stripmember 24, the clip member 38, particularly the end portion 39 thereofwhich engages over the inner edge 33 of said breaker strip member,provides a trim for said inner edge portion which otherwise would beexposed to view. Thus, the clip member 38 materially enhances theappearance of the breaker strip assembly.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the lower outer edge portion 43 of thebreaker strip member 24 is depressed to lie inwardly of the plane of theouter face of the bottom portion 26 of said member and terminates in aright angular inturned flange 44, this flange being adapted to abut theunderside of the L-shaped strip 20 which, as previously described, issecured to the forward edge of the bottom pan I1. This edge portion 43is provided with a series of spaced apertures 45 registering withaperture 46 in the upstanding leg of the Lfshape strip 20 for receivingsuitable securing elements indicated at 41 in Fig. 4, to lock thebreaker strip member in position on the cabinet.

' In practice, it is found desirable to first insert 1 thesnap-fasteners 34 through the openings 4I. in

the clip member 38, after which the latter iS `eriv the break-l gagedover the inner edge portion 33 of said er strip member 24 with the heads36 of the fasteners disposed in the groove or recessesg42 in the member24. Thereafter, the edge portions y 29 at the sides 21 and 28 of thebreaker strip member, are inserted into the open ends ISa oi the channelI5, and the member 24 then slidably advanced in the channel into theoperative position where the edge portion 39 at the tcp of said memberenters the corresponding portion of the channel and the edge portion 44at the bottom section 28 abuts the underside of the bottom pan-carriedstrip 20. y

In order that the projecting shank portions 31 of the fastener elements34 may of the cabinet structure which might interfere with the freesliding movement of the breaker strip member, the inner side edges of-said member may be flexed manually until themember reaches its finalposition, whereupon the shank portions 31 of the fastener elements 34may be snapped or projected through the openings 35 in the flange I6 ofthe inner liner 8, and the securing elements 41 inserted into thealigned apertures 45 and 46 in the bottom outer edge portion of thebreaker strip member and in adjoin ing portion of the angular strip 20.In this mancomprise head and resilient shank portions 38 a and 31respectively, generally J-shaped cross-section, having its formed-endportion 39 arrangedto receive the inner edge portion 33 of thebreakerstrip member 24 with the legv portion 40 of v`said clip lme'mberunderlying the rear surface of thebreakerstrip member.

and the clipy member 3tis of The clip member isprovidedwithsuitisqgiolerance .for

' channel I5 andthe openings l of the inner liner ner the breaker stripmember 24 becomes rigidly clear any part of the adjacent wall portionsofl the outer shell 3 and the inner liner I4.

After the breaker strip 24 has been ii'xed in its operative position,the construction of the refrigerator cabinet 5 may be completed bymounting the doors, the closing panels and other accessories, and byfinishing the entire structure in accordance with the usual practice. Y

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the presentinvention provides a breaker strip assembly which may be mounted readilyand quickly in the cabinet structure and which may be positivelyretained thereon without the ruse of springs, corner clips or the like.v

The construction is such that the breaker strip member 24 may readily-be removed from the cabinet if necessary. Also, the construction andassociation of the breaker strip member 24 with the cabinet structureprovide an arrangement capable of effectively sealing the space andinsuring non-conductance of heat between the outer shell and inner lineraround the periphery of the door opening.

Whereas a particular embodiment of the invention has been herein shownand described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto, and that changes and modifications may be made within thescopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator cabinet, an outer shell having top and sidesections, an inner liner having top, side and bottom sections andmounted-within said shell with the top and side sections of the liner inspaced relation to the top and -side sections of the shell, said shellfurther having an integral channel extending continuously about the topand side sections thereof, and said inner liner having a continuousflange about its top, side and bottom sections, a bottom pan memberspanning the side sections of said shell and disposed in spaced relationto the bottom section of said liner, the channel at said side sectionsof the shell terminating in open ends below said bottom pan, asubstantiallyv rigid unitary frame like breaker strip member havingouter and inner marginal edges, said outer edges being disposed forintroduction into said channel through the open ends thereof and beingslidable in said channel "to a position wherein the said outer edges arein engagement with the top and side 'sections of the shell and' withsaid pan member, and said inner edge carrying means for detachableengagement with the said iiange of the liner.

2. In a refrigerator cabinet, an outer shell hav- Q Y ing top and sidesections, an inner liner having top, side, and bottom sections' mountedWithin said shell with the top and side sections ofthe liner in spacedrelation to the top and side sections of the shell, said shell furtherhaving Yan integral channel extending continuously abo/ut the top andside sections thereof, and said inner liner having a, continuous flangeabout its top, side, and -bottom sections, a member spanning the sidesections of said shell and disposed in spaced relation to the -bottomsection of said liner, the channel at said side sections of theshellterminating in open ends below said member, a substantially rigidunitary frame like breaker-strip having outer and inner marginal edges,said outer edges being disposed for introduction into said channelthrough the open ends thereof and being slidable in said channel to aposition wherein the said outer edges are in engagement with the top andside sections of the shell and with said member, and means to secure theinner edge oif said breaker-strip to the said flange of the lner.

'ITIEODORE W. RUNDELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe ille ofthis patent:

